Garment protector



313i}? 9 1934-6 J. G. DUFQNT I GARMENT PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 6, 1933Patented July 3, 1934 UN STATES rarest OFFIC'EJ Claims.

This invention relatestogarment protectors and more particularly tomeans for preventing garter clasps from injuring and causingruns instockings.-

5 The clasps usedfor attaching ordinary garters to stockings are usuallyprovided with a metal or bone construction which rubs or otherwiseinjuriously'engages the stocking to which it is attached. If thestocking is made of silk or other lflfine material, such actionfrequently causes an uneven strain on the fabric which results in thefabric bursting longitudinally extending threads and producing what iscommonly known as a run inthe stocking.

15.l It is an object of the present invention-to pro vide effectivemeans for shielding and protecting hose from the injuriousactionreferred to above.

A further object of the invention is to provide detachable means,inexpensive tomanufacture .which may be associated with the garter ormore properly the clasps thereof and which will be effective inpreventing the cutting, tearing, straining and rubbing of the stockingby the clasp of the garter.

' Other objects and advantages will be apparent from a consideration ofthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing-in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ordinary 3oagarterwith the invention attached thereto and showing in dotted lines afragment of a stocking;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the garter clasp andprotector shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective-view of a piece of ribbonillustrating a stepin'theprocess of constructing an embodiment of the invention shown inFigures 1 and 2 andshowing in dotted lines the dfiyshape of the devicewhen completed;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of a still further modification ofthe invention;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of a still further embodiment of theinvention;

; Figure 6 is a front view of the device of Figure 5 and Figure '7 is aview in elevation of a garter clasp with a still further embodiment ofthe invention attached thereto.

-: Referring to the drawing in detail and more particularly to theembodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 3 a garter strap isindicated by the reference character 10 and is provided with the claspof the usual form having a 55. button 11 and a metallic loop 12, theseparts being adapted to clasp the upper end-of the stock ing such as isrepresented at 13.

In accordance with the provisions of the pres-' ent invention a pocketis formed of silk ribbon or other yielding and resilient This pocket isadapted to completely enclose the button 11 of the clasp together withall of the metal or rigid parts of the clasp associated with the buttonso as to protect the stocking 13 therefrom.

In the embodiment of Figurel the pocket is formed by folding a piece ofribbon-so as to have three layers as indicated at 14, 15 and lfi-in"Figure 2, thelayers l5 and l6forming-the pocket proper while thelayerl4 acts as an inner flap to the pocket. Before sewing the' edg'esl'lof these layers to one another'the flap '14 is provided with a buttonhole 18 as indicated-in Figure 2' which is adapted to receive :thebutton11' of the clasp and thus hold proper position with relation to theclasp.-

In sewing the edges 1'7 or the layers mentioned a number of tucksaretaken so as to provide ruflles similar to those shown anddescribedhereinafter in connectionwith Figure 6."

The layer 16 of the-material 'is considerably longer than the layers 14and 15 so as to'provide sufficient material to permit 1 it being passedthrough the metal loop 20' of the garter above the clasp and bentdownwardly so as to pass in under 5-- the loop 12 of the clasp shouldthis be-desired: It' has been'found by'experience that in'a greatmajority of cases runs or other injuries in the stocking are caused bythe rubbing of the rigid parts of the stocking and that it isnotnecessary in all cases to protect the stocking from the loop 12 but ifde- I sired the extension of the layer 16 may be associated with thisloop as shown-tooffe'r this additional protection. It will beunderstood, however, 95*

that the invention is not limited to a provision of means for protectinga stocking from engagement with the loop 12 and that even when theprotector is constructed as shown it may be sewn with the upper portionof the the loop 12 where it will serve more or less as an ornament.

Figure 4 illustrates a construction very similar to that of Figure 3except that a small washer 22 of cloth or like material is substitutedfor the 05* inner flap or layer 14. The washer 22 has an opening 23therein which is about the same size as the layer portion of the button11 while the layer 15 is provided with a thimble 24 adapted to receivethe button of the clasp. It will be under- 110 flexible material. so

the whole protector inits 1 clasp which are underneath the layer 16 onthe outside of 10 stood that in this embodiment the layers 16 and 15 aresewn together along their edges so as to provide a pocket adapted toenclose the whole portion of the clasp which is associated with thebutton 11 thereof just as in connection with the arrangement of Figures1 to 3.

In the further embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6 noinner flap or layer 14 is provided but provision is made for causing thelayer 15 itself to act as means for holding the protector in its properplace with respect to the clasp. In this construction the thimble orpuff 24 is formed by gathering a part of the goods and sewing it in sucha fashion that a number of ruffles 25 extend out substantially radiallyfrom the thimble or pull. These rufiles 25 form an important part of theinvention because they furnish, particularly when silk ribbon is used inthe construction, an effective resilient cushion for preventing anybinding as between the clasp and the stocking. It is to be noted thatthe puff is preformed before placing the protector on the garter tab andthat the puff has a head portion and a reduced neck portion enabling itto snugly engage the button on the tab.

In the arrangements of Figures 1 to 6 inclusive the ribbon or othermaterial used in constructing the protector is considerably wider thanthe inner portion of the clasp adjacent the button so that when thedevice is mounted on the clasp it extends out some distance on each sideof the button. While this is advantageous in protecting the stocking,the invention is not limited to such an arrangement. It is within thepurview of the invention to so construct a protector as to cause it tosnugly engage the inner portion of the clasp or even be sewn orotherwise integrally secured to the clasp. An arrangement of this natureis illustrated in Figure '7.

The strap of the clasp is indicated at 26 and a silk protectorconsisting of a pocket portion 27 is indicated as being sewn as bystitching 28 to the strap 26. Any of the various means described above,as for example, the gathering shown in Figures 5 and 6 forming thethimble or puff 28, may be embodied in this construction.

While only a few forms of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed above, it is apparent that many other modifications may bemade and that the protector may be constructed of various materials suchas rubberized fabric or the like without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a tab of a garter clasp and a button having arigid base portion connected to said tab, of a piece of flexiblematerial provided with a pocket at one end and having means associatedwith the pocket for detachably securing the same to the button of thetab of the garter clasp and for holding the pocket in proper position onthe garter clasp so that it completely surrounds the button and rigidbase portion of the tab and means consisting of ruffles taken in theouter portion of said pocket for forming a resilient cushion between thegarter clasp and the hose.

2. The combination with a tab of a garter clasp and a button having arigid base portion connected to said tab, of a piece of flexible,resilient material having a pocket formed at one end of a depth and sizeadapted to receive and completely enclose the button and rigid base ofsaid tab, means comprising a puff formed in the outer portion of saidpocket to engage the button to hold the pocket in proper positionthereon and means consisting of ruffles taken in the outer portion ofsaid pocket for forming a cushion adjacent said puff.

3. The combination with a tab of a garter clasp and a button having arigid base portion connected to said tab, of a piece of flexibleresilient material having a pocket formed at one end of a depth and sizeadapted to receive and completely enclose the button and rigid base ofsaid tab, means comprising an inner flap on said pocket with a buttonhole therein for engaging the button on said tab and for holding thepocket in proper position thereon and means consisting of ruflles takenin the outer portion of said pocket for forming a cushion adjacent thebutton of said tab.

4. The combination with a tab of a garter clasp and a button having arigid base portion connected to said tab, of a piece of flexible,resilient material provided with a pocket at one end and having meansassociated with the pocket for detachably securing the same to thebutton of the tab and for holding the pocket in proper position thereonso that it completely surrounds the button and rigid base portion of thetab, portions of said pocket forming a resilient cushion over the buttonand rigid base portion of the tab.

5. In an article of manufacture, a hose protector adapted to beassociated with a tab of a garter clasp having a button, said protectorcomprising a piece of flexible, resilient material provided with anunobstructed pocket at one end and having means associated with thepocket comprising a pre-formed puiT having an enlarged outerhead portionand a reduced inner neck portion for detachably securing the same to thebutton of the tab and for holding the pocket in proper position on thetab whereby the pocket may completely surround the button and form aresilient cushion thereover and yet be readily removed therefrom.

JEAN G. DUPONT.

